What If?
by Queen of Crystallopia
Summary: What if in The Order of the Phoenix, Harry and his guard ran into some trouble on the way to headquarters?  Nothing plot changing, just a what if one shot


This story is set in chapter three of the Order of the Phoenix, when Harry's guard comes to take him to Grimmauld Place. We all know they got there without incident, but what if something had happened a little differently?

This story is inspired by These Guilty Pleasures' story "Almost", a series of one shot what if stories. I love them and wanted to write my own. She is an incredible writer, and all of her stories are fantastic, so i highly recommend you check them out!

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><p>Kingsley Shacklebolt swooped around him, bald pate and earring gleaming slightly in the moonlight…Now Emmeline Vance was on his right, her wand out, her head turning left and right…them she too swooped over him, to be replaced by Sturgis Podmore…<p>

Harry shivered, his teeth chattered, and his hands felt frozen to his broom. He wished they were there already. Shouts caught his attention, and looking below, he saw Lupin shooting off bright spells at some unseen attacker. Harry's stomach tightened in alarm.

"Death Eaters!" roared Moody. "Don't break formation! Keep flying, and keep Potter safe at all costs!"

Releasing his broom handle with one hand, Harry drew his wand and looked wildly around him at the dark clouds. It was impossible to see anything. Red light shot out of Lupin's wand, and briefly illuminated a hooded figure on a broomstick just yards away from him.

"Faster, Harry, come on!" Tonks shouted from in front of him. Briefly glancing about to make sure everyone was still with him, he put on a burst of speed, soaring through the chilly night air.

Shouts and light from the spells came from every side of him, and though he raised his wand each time, their assailants had already disappeared from sight. Light illuminated the clouds, looking like multicolored lightening.

Tonks screamed, and Harry snapped his head forward. Bright white light filled his vision, and while Harry blinked, he saw Tonks spiral on her broom to his right, disoriented.

Harry had no time to react as a Death Eater dove right at him. Harry jerked the handle of his broom, and he flew straight up into the air. Shouts were muffled over the roar of the wind in his ears. He glanced behind him, the Death Eater was following him. The others were shrinking in the distance, unable to follow as more hooded figures attacked. The Death Eater raised his wand.

Harry gripped his broom tightly and swerved away from the spell. He no longer saw the others, just flashes of light in the clouds. He rolled in the air just in time to void another red curse. He thought of the wand in his hand, and was about to point it at his attacker, but the Ministry warning came in his head. His stomach plummeted as he dove down and swerved again. He couldn't risk casting another spell, he would be expelled for sure. He just had to make sure he didn't get hit.

Harry glanced behind him, then flew into a steep dive, heading straight down. He leaned closer to his broom, making himself as small as possible. Icy wind slapped at his face and made his eyes water as he picked up speed. A sudden burning pain sliced through his side. He cried out, his grip loosening slightly, causing the broom to swerve before he jerked it back into his steep dive.

Harry grit his teeth as he dove blindly through the dark clouds. Just a little more, he thought. Suddenly, black, churning water lay before him. Harry gripped the handle of his broom and pulled up with all his might. The toes of his trainers skimmed the water as he pulled up smoothly and flew forward.

A scream and a loud splash signaled that his daring move had worked. Harry sighed in relief, then scanned the sky for any sign of his guard. Out of breath, adrenaline rushing, and heart pounding, he looked desperately for the rest of the group. Lights no longer illuminated the sky. Everything was dark. Everything was silent.

Harry tried to squash his rising panic. What had happened to the others? Were they alright? Were they killed, or captured? What should he do? Should he go up and look for them? Keep flying? But where? He didn't know the secret location the wizards were taking him to. He bit his lip in worry and indecision, when suddenly six figures began flying towards him from the clouds.

Harry tensed and raised his wand. The others had their wands held aloft, and each were brightly lit, like torches. He saw with relief that it was his guard, and every one of them, though looking ruffled and pale, were alright.

"Harry! Are you alright?" Lupin asked frantically.

"You were supposed to stay in formation! What were you thinking? You could have been killed, Potter!" Moody growled as they pulled up around him.

"I couldn't help it!" Harry replied indignantly. "The Death Eater came straight at me. What was I supposed to do?"

"Alastor," Kingsley interrupted. "There could be more of them about. We should get to headquarters immediately."

"Right," Moody looked at them all. "Get in formation, we have to take a longer path in order to confuse any who might still be following us. Let's go!"

They took off into the sky again, flying up into the clouds once more, swerving and swooping and diving. To Harry, it felt as if they were going in a big circle, and he was getting tired. Not only that, but he was now freezing, damp, and his side where he had been hit was throbbing painfully. Just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, Moody called for a descent.

They landed on a patch of unkempt grass in the middle of a small square. Harry shivered and looked around at the gray, old, unwelcoming buildings around him.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, but Lupin said, "In a minute."

Moody thrust a piece of parchment into his hand and told him to memorize it. Harry read, "The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London."

"What-"

"Not here!" Moody hissed and set the parchment ablaze. "Think about what you've just memorized."

No sooner had Harry thought it, but a building appeared between numbers eleven and thirteen. Moody guided him to the door and pushed him inside.

Harry blinked at the long, dark gray hallway that looked ancient. His guard entered behind him, pushing past him and heading to the far door. Harry overheard Moody mumbling to Kingsley, "-have to tell Dumbledore about the attack, the meeting must have started already."

The door at the end of the hall opened, and a familiar looking woman with bright red hair saw him, sighed in relief, then smiled and bustled towards him. "Harry!" she whispered happily.

She embraced him tightly, and Harry cried out in pain. Immediately she withdrew and looked at him with worried eyes.

Harry clutched at his side.

Mrs. Weasley gasped. "He's hurt!"

Lupin paused at the door and turned, his eyes alight with concern. Tonks peered over his shoulder. Harry lifted his hand, and his stomach turned. It was covered with blood.

"Harry, you didn't tell us you were hurt," Lupin hurried forward looking worried.

"You should have noticed!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley. "What on earth happened?"

"We were attacked, Molly," Tonks murmured. He got separated. Mrs. Weasley gasped and looked at him horrified.

"Oh, you poor boy! Come with me upstairs, and I'll fix you up," she put a hand on his back.

"Need help, Molly?" asked Lupin.

"I can manage," she replied. "You two go on to the meeting."

"What meeting?" Harry asked immediately. "What's going on?"

"Not to worry, Harry, come on," Mrs. Weasley guided him up the stairs. He vaguely registered seeing peeling gray wallpaper, a line of what looked like house elf heads in jars, (Harry wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or not, as he was very dizzy from the blood loss), and lots of stairs before they reached the landing and entered a room.

"Harry!" a voice shrieked, and he was almost mobbed by a girl with bushy brown hair, but Mrs. Weasley held out her hand.

"Give us some space, Harry's hurt," she explained.

Hermione gave a horrified gasp when she saw Harry's blood soaked side. Ron cursed under his breath, looking pale. Harry sat on the bed, still shivering slightly. "It's looks worse than it is," he said feebly.

"Not bloody likely," replied Ron skeptically.

"Ronald!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"Sorry, mum."

Mrs. Weasley turned back to him, and Harry looked away from the motherly concern he saw on her face. "I'm going to lift up your shirt, Harry, and see how bad it is, alright?"

Harry nodded and closed his eyes when Mrs. Weasley peeled away his shirt. He winced at her sharp hiss. "That's a nasty cut, but I think I can fix it in to time."

Harry kept his eyes shut, not eager to see the wound or the blood. "Scourgify," she muttered, cleaning the blood off of his skin and clothes. He felt the tip of a wand brush lightly against his skin and trace down the long jagged cut, sealing skin as it went. He heard Mrs. Weasley summon a jar and several vials.

"This is a cleaning solution, and it will help ease the pain," she said softly as she spread a cold cream down his side. "Open your eyes, Harry, I need you to drink this."

Harry did as he was told and drained the small vial of its contents. He looked up at her questioningly.

"Blood replenishing potion," she smiled weakly at him. "Alright, I think you're all fixed up. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Harry replied, "No. Thanks Mrs. Weasley, I feel loads better."

She patted his cheek fondly and looked at the other two. "Take care of him, and let me know immediately if he starts feeling ill. I've got to get back to the meeting. Stay here."

And with another worried, tearful smile at Harry, she left the room.

Harry looked at his friends. Ron had a worried frown on his face, and Hermione looked as if she'd been crying.

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"We were attacked by Death Eaters on the way here," Harry replied. "I got separated and one followed me."

"Blimey, Harry, first the dementors, now this," Ron shook his head, his eyes wide.

"They simply can't expel you," Hermione said fervently. "I've looked it up, and there's no way they can expel you. It wouldn't be fair!"

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><p>And it continues normally through the rest of book five. Hope you enjoyed!<p> 


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